Unics Kazan slides into first as Langford torches Maccabi

Keith Langford returned to his former home and torched his former club for 30 points as Unics Kazan dumped Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv 82-92 at Menora Mivtachim Arena to take sole possession of first place in Group M with a 3-0 record. Langford provided a spark with 10 points in the first five minutes of the third quarter as the visitors took the lead for good. It was still a 3-point game entering the fourth, but the Unics defense held Maccabi without a basket for four minutes and Latavious Williams scored twice on the offensive glass to build a double-digit advantage and Maccabi never recovered. Unics outrebounded Maccabi 27-45, including 18 offensive rebounds. Williams finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds, Arturas Milaknis also scored 12 and Art Parakhouski and Quino Colom netted 10 points each for the winners. Devin Smith scored 20 for Maccabi, which fell to 2-1 with its first ever Eurocup loss. Guy Pnini added 15 points, Sylven Landesberg 12 and Taylor Rochestie 11.

Unics started strong with threes from Kostas Kaimakoglou and Valeriy Likhodey giving the visitors a 2-6 lead. Rochestie tied that game at 6-6 and then gave Maccabi its first lead, 10-8. The teams continued to trade points throughout the opening quarter with neither team leading by more than 3. Colom free throws gave Unics a 23-24 lead after 10 minutes. Yogev Ohayon connected from downtown to make it 32-28 early in the second quarter, but Milaknis’s second triple pushed Unics in front again. Maccabi took charge as smith drained back-to-back threes in a 10-0 run that got the arena rocking at 42-33. An unsportsmanlike foul by Itay Segev opened the door for a 4-point Unics possession. Langford heated up and his last-second three brought the visitors back to 49-48 at the break.

Langford scored the first 7 points of the second half before Rochestie sank free throws. Then the red-hot Langford scored again. His three-pointer made it 54-62 four minutes into the third quarter. Landesberg responded with the next 5 points for Maccabi and Smith brought the hosts within 1. A triple by Pnini evened the score at 64-64, but Colom fed Williams to put Unics back in front. Colom added 5 free throws, but Smith’s put-back kept the teams close, 68-71, through three quarters. However Unics held the hosts without a basket for the first four minutes of the fourth quarter. In that time, Williams scored twice on the offensive glass and Milaknis drained a three-pointer before Langford established a 70-80 advantage. Segev tried to spark Maccabi, but Milaknis connected again from downtown. Langford made it 72-85 as the Maccabi faithful sat silent. A pair of Pnini threes brought the hosts within 9, but another Lanford triple all but iced the game.

Head Coaches

TABAK, ZAN

Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv

"During the first half, we were basically able to keep the score even. There were just a few times during the game that we got control of the defense. Most of the time when we had control of the defense they were able to outrebound us. At the end of the third quarter and in the fourth quarter, we had a little problem with man to man defense against the pick and roll, and it was a different kind of defense. And we had a problem with the rebounds, we were not able to play and it cost us important rebounds. But also at the beginning, when we were having four big guys, we had a problem with the rebounds. Also there were a lot of important shots without good defense made by their guys."

PASHUTIN, EVGENY

Unics Kazan

"I think our guys played better defense in the third and fourth quarter than in the first two, and we were able to prevent Maccabi from scoring. They have a lot of good shooters and scoring ability and especially at home they are way up there. So it was really difficult to stop them, but after we made some adjustments, and made more of an effort defensively, then in the third and fourth quarters step by step we were able to achieve more offensively and move the ball. It's a good win, but we have the second game at home and I know Maccabi will make a big effort."